Recovery of Function: A Review of Studies Pertaining to the Serial Lesion Procedure and Brain Damage in Infancy

Summary Studies pertaining to recovery of function following either serial ablations or early brain damage were reviewed. In general, serial damage leads to greater functional sparing than simultaneous damage to the same area. Similarly, brain damage sustained early in the developmental history of the organism is less traumatic in terms of subsequent behavior than later injury. Variables relevant to the generality of the phenomena were emphasized, and possible avenues for future investigation were suggested.